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“Me, too,” a man shouted from the back.

A few more voices called out and the dissenter sat back down.

It was then Mary West stood up. She was in her fifties, one of t

he last of the survivors to be rescued and brought to the fort before the evacuation of the mall. A dour woman with a pinched mouth, she was the leading voice of the Baptist Coalition (as they liked to call themselves).

Travis felt his pulse quicken slightly as she stood up and he acknowledged her with a brief nod of his head.

“We understand your plans, Travis. But they are for naught. The sin of this fort has offended God and He will strike you down. As He passed judgment on the earth, He will pass judgment on this fort. ”

The nodding heads around her and “amens” made Travis feel cold inside.

“I think many of us feel God has brought us all here to begin anew,” the Reverend responded quickly. “That He has shown us grace in our time of need. ”

Mary’s tight little smile had no mirth or kindness to it. “You would think that. You have fallen away, Pastor, and your congregation is full of fornicators, idolaters, and homosexuals. ”

“Hey,” Ken cried out, jumping to his feet. “Hey, I’m a Christian, too!”

Lenore’s hand came up to draw Ken down, but he shrugged her hand away.

“A homosexual cannot be a Christian,” Mary responded coolly.

“I love Jesus,” Ken shouted. “I read the Bible. You can’t tell me that I’m not a Christian!”

This time Dale took hold of him and sat him down, whispering to him.

Katie’s fingers were icy on his arm and Travis kissed her brow softly to reassure her.

“An unrepentant sinner cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven,” Mary answered in her smirking manner. “But this fort will fall because you have let sin run rampant in its walls. ” She pointed abruptly at Bette and Linda who sat nearby. “Lesbians and gays in open displays of affection. ” She pointed at Travis and Katie. “Children out of wedlock. ”

“Hey, we’re married,” Katie protested.

With a cold look at the Reverend, Mary answered, “Are you really? By a holy man of God?”

“Oh, that is going too far,” Juan said, standing up sharply. Margie was holding tight to his hand and glaring at Mary. “Just because we may not believe as you do-’”

“Catholics worshiping idols and putting them up in a garden for reasons of idolatry,” Mary droned on.

“That is a tribute to those who fell,” Juan shouted. “It’s Jesus’ mother, Mary, for God’s sake. ”

“Taking the Lord’s name in vain. Is it no wonder that God has sent down this horde of demons to destroy your fort?”

Around Mary there were confirmations of “amen” and bobbing heads.

Travis felt sick to his stomach and he took a breath to steady his temper.

Voices were now rising in anger and frustration. People were arguing and it was quickly devolving into something very nasty.

“If we die, you die with us,” Ken shouted angrily.

“We must repent and throw out the fornicators, adulterers, idolaters and homosexuals, then God will deliver us. ” Mary raised her chin, her confidence impressive, yet terrifying.

And to Travis’ dismay more than thirty people stood up in unison to stand with her.

2. Trouble in Paradise

Horrified silence filled the room after Mary’s words stopped reverberating. Those who stood beside her looked resolute and hard. To Travis’ dismay, the family they had rescued thanks to the Reverend stood with Mary. The young father and mother, who had kept their entire family alive beyond incredible odds, stood with Mary and her cohorts, looking just as angry and firm as she did.